6 January 2021Tough desolate day on the longest stretch of gravel and sand I think I’ve ever ridden, and there’s more to come tomorrow.
After having several people recommend the ride out to San Francisquito, and having had to backtrack to El Rosario to get my drivers license, I made the side trip into Bahía de los Angeles, camped last night, and headed south after packing up.
I did have a little task in the morning, as I had lost a small GoPro accessory, and I thought I might have dropped it when I filmed some video on the way out to San Borja a couple of days ago. I went out to search the area. Turns out it was not there, but I did later find it in my luggage.
I then rode south along the coast toward San Francisquito. It’s the longest stretch of gravel road I think I’ve ever ridden. All day, unending washboard, sandy sections, large rocks. The ride was exhausting but filled with fantastic scenery.
Three vehicles passed me going the opposite direction during the entirety of the day. The first was a military Humvee carrying half a dozen uniformed men. I pulled over to the side and let them pass. Next, a large four-door pickup which barely gave me enough room to go past. And then late in the day, a pickup which stopped beside me and we shared information about the road condition. He said there was a lot of sand coming up for me.
See AlsoRTW the Jamie Z Way: MedellínLollapalooza is Gibberish for SuperspreaderTimes Record News from Wichita Falls, TexasMiddle Tennessee DS Ride Schedule Q2 2010The road continued to be sandy and washboarded. I stopped frequently to have a rest and take a few pictures. And I had to stop. I couldn’t look at the scenery while riding because I had to concentrate on the road too much.
There was one section where I thought for sure I was going to go down, and it could have been a hard fall. I was moving at about 15 or 20 miles per hour and the track suddenly turned sandy, jerking the bars to the right and into a rut. In that moment, I expected the bike to roll onto its side, but in a moment, I was able to steer out of the fall and I continued on.
I stopped to see what the arrows were pointing to… but didn’t find anything.
I wasn’t sure what I’d find in San Francisquito. I’d read about campgrounds, cabinas, palapas, and other establishments, but as I arrived to the coastline and could see buildings down below along the shore, it felt, once again, like everything was closed up. In fact one turnoff had ropes across it and large hand-painted signs reading “CERRADO.”
I followed signs toward Puerto San Francisquito promising cabins, camping, and WiFi. iOverlander suggested I’d find hot showers and cold beer. When I pulled up, an older fellow came out of his house and spoke to me in English. I told him I’d be interested in camping or a cabin. With the wind blowing, I asked the price of a cabin and he said it was $20 per person. I asked if he had any food or drinks for sale, but he said no.
He had to scramble to find the keys for the place, but then told me to follow him down a sandy track to the cabin. Navigating this track, I dropped the bike for the first time on this trip.
At the cabin, he went inside, perhaps for the first time in a few weeks, made sure the single 12V LED bulb turned on, and pointed to the outhouse--which appears to have a flush toilet, though as of this writing, I have not checked that it works.
The cabin is bare. Painted concrete floor. A bunkbed with no bedding. A wooden table and a chair. And there are some folding chairs, a folding table, and a gas grill stored in the corner. There’s a small sink but the tap doesn’t turn on.
I have spread my things out on the table to catch up on video editing and writing. I feel a bit like Stephen King staying at the Stanley Hotel. Or rather, maybe the author from Misery.
I have enough water, and a few snacks to cover for dinner; an apple for breakfast. I may have to start being better prepared to have my own meals. This would have been a perfect time to have my stove. A nice pasta dish would go down good right now.
It’s a chilly, windy evening; the cabina is just off the beach and I can hear the wind howling and waves splashing outside. The couple of times I’ve stepped outside to pee, I’ve had to zip up my jacket. The stars shine bright in the sky.
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